Throat and mouth gag



L. R. FORGRAVE.

THROAT AND MOUTH GAG.

APPLICATION FILED APII. 2. I92I.

1,388,421, Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

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TTVORNEYS L. R.. FORGRAVE.

. THROAT AND MOUTH GG.

APPLICATION FILED APII.2. 1921.

1,388,42 1 Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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' ATTORNEYS PATENT OFFICE.

. UNITED STATES LYMAN ROBERT FORGRAVE, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

THROAT AND MOUTH GAG.

Application led April 2,

T o all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, LYMAN R. FORGRAVE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and btate of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lThroat and Mouth Gags, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsl in throat and mouth gags used in surgical treatment of the mouth or throat necessitating continuous exposure of the mouth and throat.

My invention primarily has for its object to provide a combined throat and mouth gag and tongue depressor of such construc- V ings,

igure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the lnventlon 1n use.

Fig. 2 is a. longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a top plan vview thereof.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the latch slide.

FiefA 6 is a perspective view of the simplest form of tongue depressor forming a part of my invention.

Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the tongue depressor shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a modified form of tongue depressor. Fig. 9 is aY bottom plan view of the same- Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 11 is across section on the line 11-11 on Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a detail top plan view of another modification of tongue depressor, the anesthetic tube being removed.

Fig. 13 is afdetail bottom plan view of a further modification. j

' Fig. 14 is a cross section on the line 14- -14 of F1 13.

In t e drawings like numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures.

1 represents the shank of the gag which has its side edges curled over to form guides Specification of Letters Patent.

1921. serial No. 458,149.

2 2 for the latch slide 7, the shank 1 having a finger engagement 3 and a loop or frame 5 bent at 6 to receive the teeth of the upper jaw of the patient.

7 is the latch slide which consists of a plate having one end turned up at 8 to form a finger engagement and having the other end provided with a T-member 15 to fit into the T-slot 16 of the plate 17 of the tongue depressor, as will be clear from an inspection of Fig.'1.

The latch slide 7 has ears 9 between which the fingerlatch l() is pivoted and held by a spring 12 to have its engaging end 13 project through the hole 14 in the plate Y7 so as to engage the ratchet recesses 4 of the shank 1, see Fig. 2.

The tongue depressor, in its simplest form, consists of a plate 17 to slide in the guides 2 and has a T-slot 16 to connect with the T-member 15 of the latch plate or slide 7. It also has a body 20 having a portion projected at right angles at 18 and united to the plate 17 by a web, which leaves grooves 1.9 to pass vover edges of the guides 2.

The free end of the tongue depressor is bent over at 21 to fit over the tongue at the throat or base end and thus aid in drawing the tongue forward to open the throatcavitv.

Preferably the tongue depressor body 20 is apertured at 22, see Figs. 6 and 7. y

Instead of making the tongue depressor as shown in Figs. 1,2, 3 and 6, the same mav be made as shown in Figs. 9 et seq. l

By referring to Figs. 9, 10 and 11, it will be seen that the tongue depressor there shown is of the extensible form and consists of the plate 18L and a slide plate 17a, arms 20a and 20 projecting from the plate 18. at right angles thereto and fitting into the guides 23 of the plate' 21?, which engages the tongue at the base or back part thereof.

The-arms 20 and 20b are preferably substantially rectangular in cross section as are also the guides 23 which receive them and one of the arms (20") is serrated or provided with a ratchet face to coperate with the' latch 25 that is normally held out of engagement by a leaf spring 24 but is adapted to be pressed into engagement by a slide 28 which has its sides tongue and groove fitted at 29-30 in a recess in the plate 21 so as to be slidable therein and has a grooved incline portion 31 Ato engage the spring 24 and push the latch 25 into engagement with the Cil ratchet teeth and hold the plate 21" in proper position With respect to the arms 20a-e201.

In this Way, the tongue depressor can be lcngthened or shortened, as desired.

If desired, the plate 21a may have secured thereto, in any desired Way, a tube 2G having -discharge apertures 27 through which tube anesthetic may be administered to the patient. l

In Fig. 12, I have shown substantially the same yconstruction as is shown in Fig'. 10 except that the anesthetic tube is omitted showing that its use in connection With the tongue depressor may be optional.

Instead of providing a slide 28 for moving the latch 25 into engagement, one of the arms of the tongue depressor (20c) may be provided with teeth, as shown in Fig. 13, to be engaged by a spring pressed paw] 25l Which is normally held in engagement by a leaf spring 24a and is adapted to be moved out of engagement by a slotted guide 32 to- Ward the central line of the tongue depressor. Y

It Will be seen that by my construction ot i tongue depressor, the distinct advantage ot enabling the user to have sulicient space for the manipulation of any instrument necessarily used for any surgical treatment for mouth or throat (especially the use of the instrument known as the adenotone) is provided.V

Again, the simple construction of the instrument allows of thorough sterilization and prolongs its life and durability.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction and advantages of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

What I claim is:

1'. A throat and mouth gag comprising a shank having a slideivay provided With a ratchet surface, a latch slide plate operable in said slideway, a tongue depressor having a slide plate slidable in said slideivay, said slide plates having separable engaging elements held together by the said slideivay, when said slidek plates are both in the slide- Way, a latch carried by said latch slide plate to coperate with said ratchet surface and Va loop carried by the shank and having provisions to lie under the upper jaw of the patient.

2. In throat and mouth gags, a shank having a slideway, a loop secured to one end of said shank and having provision to` lie under the upper jaiv of the patient and having a finger piece lat `the other end, a tongue depressor comprising a tongue engaging bodyand a slide plate held at approximate right angles to said body to lie in said slide- Way, 'a latchY `slide plate held in said slide- Way, said slide plates having interconnecting portions held against separation by the slideway, a latch on said latch slide plate, said shank havingV 'provisions cooperating With said latch to hold said tongue depressor down substantially as shown and described.

3. In throat and .mouth gags, a shank having a slideway, a loop secured to one end of said shank and having provision to lie under the upper jaw ot the patient and having a finger piece at the other end, a tongue depressor comprising a tongue engaging body and a slide plate held at approximate right angles to said body to lie in said slideway, a latch slide pla-te heldv in said slide- Way, said slide plates having interconnecting portions held against separation by the slideivay, a latch on said latch slide plate, said shank having provisions cooperating with said latch to hold said tongue depressor down, and an anesthetic delivery tube carried, by said tongue depressor and having provisions to deliver the anesthetic to the throat of the patient.

4. In throat and mouth gags, a shank having afslideivay, a loop secured to one end of said shank and having provision to lie under the upper jaw of the patient andV having a linger piece at the other end, a

tongue depressor comprising a tonguel en` gaging body and a slide plate held at approximate right angles to said body to lie in said slideway, a latch slide plate held in. said slideway, said slide plates having interconnecting portions held against sepation by the slideivay, a latch on said latch slide plate, said shank having provisions cooperating with said latch to hold said tongue depressor down, said tongue engaging body of said tongue depressor comprising sections eXtensibly connected together and Vmeans to hold said sections against movement relatively one to the other.

5. In throat and mouth gags, a shank having a slideway, a loop securedto one end oi said shank and having provision to lie under the upper jaw of the patient and having a finger piece at the other' end, a tongue depressor comprising a tongue engaging body and a slide plate held at approximaterightangles to saidbody to lie in said slideivay, a latch slide plate held in said slideway, said slide plates having interconnecting portions held against separation by the slidevvay, a latch on said latch slide plate, said shank having provisions coperating with said latch to hold said tongue depressor down, said tongue engaging body of said tongue depressor comprising sections eXtensibly connected together, means .to hold said sections against movement relatively one to the other, and an anesthetic delivery tube carried by said tongue depressor and having provisions to .deliver anesthetic to the throat of the patient.

6. In throat and mouth gags, a shank having a slidevvay, a loop secured to one end of said shank and having provision to lie under the upper jaw of the patient and having a finger piece at the other end, a tongue depressor comprising a tongue engaging body and a slide plate held at approximate right angles to said body to lie in said slideway, a latch slide plate held in said slideway, said slide plates having interconnecting portions held against separation by the slideway, a latch on said latch slide plate, said shank having provisions coperating with said latch to hold said tongue depressor down, said tongue engaging body of said tongue depressor comprising sections extensibly connected together and means to hold said sections against movement relatively one to the other, said last named means comprising a ratchet member carried by one of said sections and a pawl carried by the other section, and means cooperative with said paWl for causing the paWl to coperate with said ratchet member to hold the sections in position relativel. one to the other.

L MAN ROBERT FORGRAVE. 

